Back from the dead
by Crimson-Tears14
Summary: On that day at the altar, Tifa was killed instead of Aerith. How does Cloud react, how does Zack fit into this and why does Tifa and Zack have wings? Tifa x Zack Cloud x Aerith Rated T for voilence and swearing.
1. Sacrifice

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

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**Sacrifice**

Cloud watched in horror as Sephiroth descended onto the flower girl. He couldn't move, he tried to warn the praying girl but it was as if his voice had been muted. He barely noticed a dark brunet woman rush past him and pushed Aerith's unaware body out of harms way; only to be impaled instead. Pain flared throughout Tifa Lockheart's body as Sephiroth's long sword smoothly slid into her back and out of her chest, Aerith, who had now regained her senses let out a shrill scream of terror. Tifa's eyes widened a fracture and turned to look at her blond best friend. Her lips parted and she spoke her last few words:

"Goodbye Cloud." Sephiroth roughly tore his sword out of her fragile body and flew up wards. The Cetra was meant to die there, not her. Tifa closed her eyes, never to reopen them again and gracefully fell forward; her hair slipped out of its tie and followed the movement of her body. Aerith ran forward and caught her best friend before she hit the floor, crimson blood smeared on the flower girls pink dress but she didn't care, all that mattered now was the woman that lay in her arms. She sat in the centre of the altar cradling Tifa's lifeless form, rocking backwards and forwards Aerith gently stroked her friends deep brown hair and let her tears overflow onto the dead woman that she idolised.

Cloud couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He couldn't talk. He couldn't do anything, only watch. She had been his life, as a child he always tried to impress her, always doing things to make her smile. He left her but when he came back she was still there for him. He took her for granted – everyone did –now she was gone. Images on Tifa flashed through his mind.

**/flash/**

_An 8 year old Tifa missed her footing on the rope bridge, he tried to save her but they both fell of the mountain._

**/flash/**

_Seeing 14 year old Tifa's surprised and sad eyes when he told her he was leaving for SOLDIER. _

**/flash/**

_A15 year old Tifa as a tour guide._

**/flash/**

_Tifa close to death after trying to take revenge on her father's death._

**/flash/**

"_Goodbye Cloud"_

**/flash/**

Hot tears ran down his face uncontrollably as another image came to mind:

**/flash/**

_"Hey, why don't we make a promise? Umm, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind... You come save me, all right?"_

_"What?" He asked his best friend with surprise evident in his voice._

_"Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me. I want to at least experience that once." Tifa smiled dreamily._

_"What?"_

_"Come on--! Promise me--!" _

_"All right... I promise."_

**/flash/**

He had failed her, he had broken that promise. Now he paid for it with her life.

"Why are you just standing there!?" Aerith screamed at him as she clung harder to Tifa, "Why? Why did she..." Her voice cracked, "I was meant to die! Not Tifa, never Tifa."

Cloud found himself moving towards her, he placed a hand on Aerith's shoulder and looked at her; she was coved in blood that was not her own. Silently he took Tifa's limp form from the distraught flower girl and cradled her in his strong arms.

-x-

He stood waist deep in the clear blue lake silently crying for Tifa. He held her close and studied her features one last time, eyes closed, pale face and a sincere smile on her lips. She looked so peaceful there in his arms. Violent sobs racked his body and he howled out into the night, he felt like he was being ripped apart slowly, he screamed and screamed for the pain was too much to bear all on his own. Cloud didn't know how long he stayed there i the lake with Tifa, hours, days, weeks? He didn't care anymore. He placed a soft kiss to her forehead and slowly lay her down in the water.

"Goodbye Tifa." He whispered hoarsely and watched as she went under the surface of the water. Her long hair faired out underneath her and to cloud, she looked like a goddess. When he lost sight of her to the depths of the waters he forced himself to turn away and head back to the shore.

Tifa Lockheart was dead.

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**A/N:** Please tell me if you want me to continue with this story.


	2. To die for a friend

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

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**To die for a friend**

Tifa was cold, really cold. Her body shivered involuntary and Tifa bolted upright. Images flashed through her mind as she remembered being stabbed by Sephiroth and saving Aerith. Her hand flew up to her mouth as she chocked back a sob. _'Am I dead?' _The last thing she remembered seeing was Cloud's shocked face. _'Cloud!' _She was dead, she could never go back, never see them again. She never got a chance to tell Cloud that she loved him. She snivelled and took a look at her surroundings.

Darkness.

All was black apart from the lifestream that flowed freely around her, it was beautiful. Move tears leaked out of her eyes and then she thought of someone, if she was dead, he would be here, wouldn't he? But why did she thing of him before her parents?

"Zack Fair," Tifa breathed, it sounded strange hearing her own voice again. Suddenly she heard footsteps; they were getting closer and louder. For a moment she panicked but soon relaxed when she heard a familiar voice.

"Someone say my name?"

There he was in all his glory, Zack Fair. For some reason this brought on a whole new wave of tears and they rained down on Tifa like a tone of bricks. She ran to him and in a flash she was in his arms, crying softly into his shoulder.

"Wha...?" He looked down and saw someone he didn't think he would see in a long time.

"Tifa?"

Said woman nodded into his top, "I'm sorry Zack, I'm so sorry!"

He was taken aback for a moment, "For what?"

"The last time I saw you I told you that I hated you, I don't, I was mad and..."

"Hush, it's alright you're forgiven," He held her at arms length, she was beautiful; even with messy hair and tear stained cheeks. His face turned serious, "What are you doing here?"

"I-I'm dead, aren't I?" More tears.

"You are sweetheart, what happened?" He wiped away her tears with his thumb and she shakily leaned into his touch and retold her death.

What seemed like hours later Zack sat on the floor with Tifa in between his legs, her story made him sad but now he admired the brown haired beauty even more. She was always there for Cloud when 

he needed her; she was there for everyone even though she knew that they took her for granted. She knew exactly how to cheer her friend up and give them support, even if she was crying inside she always put on a smile, she had too. What made Zack proud was when she told him how she backed down from Cloud when Aerith showed interest in him, which took a lot of effort to give up your first love.

This woman didn't deserve to die, but she died saving a friend and that was a good enough reason as any to die; for a friend.

There was a moment's pause, then Tifa asked: "Zack, what do you do once you're dead?"

He scratched his chin slowly and Tifa couldn't help but admire his good looks.

"Well, it's just like living really. You just hang around with the people who have past away, I just have a laugh with my dead friends- so it's just like living."

"Oh." Tifa replied quietly.

'**My dear children please do not be alarmed by the sound of my voice.'**

Tifa and Zack both shot to their feet in shock.

"What the fu...!?"

"Did you hear that?" Tifa asked, cutting Zack off. The unknown voice sounded in their heads again.

'**To answer your unspoken question; I am the planet, and I am contacting you two because you are not meant to die yet.'**

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked hesitantly.

'**On the day you died Tifa Lockheart, the world was saved. Events have passed and Sephiroth was temporarily gone. Now however, two years have passed and Sephiroth is returning and you two play a part in bringing him down.'**

"How come Tifa has been dead for two years, it's barely been two years here?"

'**Time is a strange thing here in the lifestream. Now, it is time for you to return to the living."**

"What? /Wait!" They said together but were cut of when a blinding bright white light enveloped them, then blackness over took.

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**A/N:** Thanks too all the people who wanted me to continue.


	3. Edge

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

**Edge?**

Zack slowly opened his eyes; he vaguely noted that he was laying on his back, in the mud, somewhere where there was traffic and noise. Groaning, he sat up and tried to recall how he got there.

He was dead.

He got shot and he died, but he was very much alive now. Zack racked his brain harder and then he remembered the planet talking to him, telling him that he plays a part in stopping Sephiroth. Yes, that's right... but there's something missing. What could it be? He stood up and looked around the dark alleyway her was in, at the exit he could see a few cars passing by and it was night. He took a step in the direction of the exit but came in contact with a lump on the floor and immediately fell and landed on the thing that had tripped him over.

The lump groaned.

Tifa's sight was all blurry, without opening her eyes she tried to lift her body – but couldn't. Something heavy was on top of her. She opened her eyes and was met by two extraordinary blue orbs; Tifa bit back a yelp of surprise.

"Tifa?" Zack asked puzzled, the lump he had fallen over was Tifa. She just laughed at the confused look on his face and then looked down at how they were positioned. Zack was pinning her down, with his hands either side of her head and his face only inches away from her own. She could smell his exotic yet sweet scent and she blushed when she realised how close he was. They gazed into each others eyes, completely entranced, neither quite willing to pull away. After a moment, Zack seemed to come to his senses and swiftly got off her laughing in embarrassment, Tifa laughed too. Damn he was hansom.

Quieting for a moment, Tifa stated the obvious. "Err, Zack...where are we?"  
"Well...We appear to be in an alley way, dear Tifa." He replied flatly. She pushed his shoulder in annoyance despite her laughter.  
"Yeah... I kind of gathered that you twit. But seriously, what happened?"  
Zack shook his head and walked forward without talking. As soon as they reached the opening of the alley, their jaws hit the floor. They were in a town. A real town. With real people. Real living people! Without hesitating Zack ran up to the person closest to him, who happened to be an aging woman with grey hair, and grabbed her by the shoulders.  
"Where is this place? Are you alive? What's this town called?" He asked her excitedly, shaking her by the shoulders slightly. The poor old dear slapped his hands away and gave him a weird look.  
"This is the town of Edge, and I was still alive the last time I checked...you need your head sorting out young man, stay of the beers perhaps?" She started to turn around but before she could get very far, Zack once again stopped her.  
"Edge?" He persisted, obviously confused.  
"Yeah, you know, the town built on the remains of Midgar? Jesus, where have you been living these past three years? Pfft..." And she walked off, rather quickly.

He just stood there, dumbfounded. Then before he knew it, Tifa had ran into his back throwing her arms around his middle.  
"Zack, we're alive! We're really back!"  
He hugged her arms tightly. He couldn't quite comprehend it.  
**'Cloud Strife lives in the town of Edge at the Seventh Heaven. Go find your destiny, my dear children.' **The planet voiced in their minds.

"Cloud!" Tifa squealed. Grabbing Zack's hand, she dragged him forward to look for the Seventh Heaven.

**A/N:** Finally, after years of not updating – here is the new chapter! I know it's not much, but I've just been so busy. I've given my Fanfiction a complete make-over so now I'm raring to update more! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story and pleaseeee...keep reviewing it! :D


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